


Hypocrisy Oath: A Paragon of Medicine

by Zenparadox



Series: Hospital on a Hellmouth [4]
Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Grey's Anatomy
Genre: F/F, Gen, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-21
Updated: 2014-08-21
Packaged: 2018-02-14 04:35:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2178114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zenparadox/pseuds/Zenparadox
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arizona senses something is amiss when an unlikely hero appears at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. Takes place immediately following the events in The Kepner Method.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The sounds of chaos permeated the crowded emergency room at Grey Sloan memorial hospital. Doctors, nurses, and techs moved back and forth at a frantic pace. April directed interns, while nearby, Arizona and Alex tried to calm a screaming child. Callie and Meredith came running into the pit, donning their trauma gowns as they arrived. 

“Kepner, what have we got?” Callie asked as she slid her gloves on her hands with a practiced ease.

“Motorcycle meets minivan,” She looked at her watch, “Five minutes out.”

“Did you page Derek?” Meredith asked.

“I’m here.” 

“Me too,” Cristina stepped in behind Derek.

The sound of sirens in the distance moved the team to the ambulance bay, in anticipation of its arrival. 

“I hear congratulations are in order, Dr. Kepner.” Derek said. “My inside source at the examinations said you tore it up. She said your testers were very impressed.” 

“Inside source?” Meredith asked.

“Addison,” Callie answers for Derek. “She called me, too. Apparently, you made quite an impact on her.”

“Well, don’t let her try to entice you away, we need you here,” Meredith said.

April blushed at all the attention, “It wasn’t all my doing, I had help. If it wasn’t for…”

“Kepner…,” Callie said, in a warning tone.

“I mean… I totally kicked-ass.”

“April said ass,” Cristina said. “Do you talk to Jesus with that mouth?” 

“Cristina. Rude much?” Callie said with an amused smile.

“Yes, I am, actually,” Cristina replied. 

“Is Matthew happy to have the boards out of the way, so you can finally start planning that wedding?” Meredith asked.

“Your invitations will be in the mail next week, as a matter of fact,” April replied. “Matthew’s mother is, well… eager to get started.”

“How about your mother?”

“I’m sure her mother is all over that Mr. Nice Guy she’s marrying,” Cristina interrupts. “So traditional- not that there is anything wrong with that,” she added. “Are you taking his last name? Wait… does he have a last name?”

Arizona rushed through the doors, putting a stop to further wedding talk. 

“We have a problem. The motorcycle casualty is the Mayor’s son… teenage son, out for a joy ride. They’ve diverted the others to Seattle Pres, he’s our sole priority,” She said as she pulled her trauma gown on. “We can’t lose this one.”

The ambulance screeched into the bay, “Ok people you heard her, let’s move.” Derek said.

The doors to the rig flew open and the paramedic jumped out relaying vitals.

“Tachycardic and hypotensive en route.”

“Obvious head and chest injuries,” Arizona said.

“He’s hemorrhaging.” 

“Wait. Hold on. Is that blood coming from his chest?” Cristina asked.

“Extraocular movement's intact,” Derek said. “Pupils equal and reactive. Depressed skull fracture with a probable bleed.”

“Tell C.T. to get ready for him.” 

They moved through the packed ER to the first trauma room, and started their initial damage control.

“No obvious spinal deformities,” Callie said.

“He needs a central line.”

“I'll do a subclavian,” April said. “I need a central line kit and sterile gloves.”

“Come on. Come on. Come on.”

“Call upstairs and tell 'em to prep an OR,” Arizona directed.

“V-fib!” Cristian yelled.

“He’s crashing.”

“Start bagging him.”

“Come on. Get him on his back,” Callie urged.

“Starting CPR,” Cristina said.

“Okay, get me an intubation tray, please,” Derek said. “Ready to intubate. Hold in-line stabilization.”

“Charging to 120. Clear.” Meredith placed the paddles of the defibrillator on the boy sent a jolt through his body.

“Still in V-fib,” Cristina said.

“All right. Charge the paddles to 200.”

“Charged to 200.” Arizona said.

“Clear,” Meredith said. Another shock.

“Sinus tach,” Cristina said.

“He’s back.”

“Let's move. Here we go. Everybody, ready? Grab that. Grab it,” Arizona said, as she led them out of the room.

“All right. Go, go, go. Let's move. Go.” Derek demanded.

“This is too much for us, you know who we need.” Meredith said, as they trailed along behind the gurney.

“You’re right, he’s stable for now. You two get him CT,” Callie said to April and Derek. “We’ll go get the Chief and meet you in the OR.”

***

Meredith, Cristina, Callie, and Arizona stood in front of the door marked Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital: Chief of Surgery. Callie reached out and opened the door, and they entered the office. There was a massive, beautifully crafted mahogany desk- an elegant leather chair sat behind the desk, facing away from the door. They walked slowly, as if in reverence, towards the Chief.

"Uh, hi. We have a problem." Meredith said.

The chair behind the desk spins around to reveal blonde bombshell, Izzie Stevens, dressed very sharply in a black tailored jacket, she looked both polished and professional.

Izzie smirked and exuded confidence.

"Sounds like you could use my help."


	2. Chapter 2

The five gorgeous surgeons powerwalked down the corridor. Dr. Isobel Stevens a step ahead of the others, who trailed just after, side by side. Their hair flowed behind… as if they were in a shampoo commercial, or they were walking down a fashion show runway.

“Is there something wrong with the vents? Why is it so breezy in here all of the sudden?” Cristina said. “I feel like I’m in a wind tunnel.”

 

***

“Thanks for helping with this, Dr. Stevens,” Arizona said as they scrubbed for the surgery. “We wouldn’t have asked, but this is a very important patient, and he has so many injuries.”

“Hey don't worry about it,” Izzie said. “The Mayor of Seattle’s son in a massive trauma, ok. The pit full of appies? That’s more of a judgment call. You know, I just had a meeting with the mayor yesterday... I met his son. Such a bright future, we need to save this one.”

They made their way into the sterile room.

“I need some more lap pads in here,” April said. “More, please. More.”

“There's your subdural,” Derek said. “Let's zip the dura, get him decompressed.”

Derek and April had already started when the rest arrived in the OR. Intern Jo Wilson, anxiously holding retractors for April.

“I've got bleeders everywhere.” April said.

“Let's get control with this liver lac ... More lap pads,” Arizona said, taking over for Jo. “Before he gets unstable.”

“Body temp's dropped to 32 degrees,” Izzie points out. “He's getting hypothermic.”

“More lap pads.” Arizona demanded.

“I need a retractor in here.” Izzie said.

“His pressure's dropping.” Jo yelled, as she stumbled into the instrument tray, knocking the whole thing over.

“If you're not needed, get out of the way,” Izzie ordered. “He can't take much more. We need to get out.”

“He's not clotting well.” April agreed.

“He needs time to recuperate.” Izzie said. “If we don't pack him and get out now, he's gonna bleed to death.”

“Let's, uh, get set up for a temporary abdominal closure.” Arizona said.

“So-so what happens now?” Jo asked.

“We get him up to the ICU,” April said, “and see if he lives for the next 24 hours.”

“If he makes it, we go in again,” Arizona added.

“I want a doctor with him at all times, Meredith… and Kepner… You two grab some competent interns,” Izzie said as she turned and looked at Jo. “And Wilson, if I ever see you fumbling instruments like that in my OR again, you’re out of the program.”

Izzie left the OR with a satisfied grin on her face, as the other’s readied the patient for the ICU.

 

***

An hour later, the surgeons gathered to go over the Mayor’s son various injuries and to come up with a plan of action.

“He has a hole in his heart,” Cristina said. “He needs bypass to fix it, and he needs it now.”

“Bypass would mean a lot of heparin.” Arizona warned.

It’s a setup for a rebleed,” Derek agreed.

“Which is why we should wait to repair the heart.” Arizona said.

“He's not stable enough to wait,” Cristina said.

“Most of his fractures can be set without surgery, except the femur. He’ll need screws and an intramedullary rod, but that can all wait until he’s stable.”

“Absolutely Dr. Torres, way to prioritize,” Izzie said. She sidled up next to Callie and gave her a pat on the back. Callie beamed at the approval.

Arizona took note of this interaction, and filed it away for later consideration- the boy in ICU took priority over the chief of surgery fondling her wife’s back.

“How about this,” Izzie said, “we fix him percutaneously, which will drastically reduce the amount of heparin needed. So we could avoid the brain rebleeding.”

“But, I have seen every cardiac structure sheared off by the wire in the loop in that procedure,” Cristina countered.

“I’ll use a technique that doesn't require the formation of a loop,” Izzie explained. “By placing an extra-stiff wire deep into the pulmonary artery, I’ll avoid that complication.”

“Even if that's the case, there's embolization and hemolysis ...” Arizona said.

“Which all could be avoided with my meticulous delivery technique.” Izzie said.

“It's genius!” Callie declared.

“Right?” Izzie smiled.

“I can’t believe I didn’t think of that,” Cristina said.

“Don't worry. You know it only matters that you try your best. I’m sure you would have come up with… something.” Izzie said. As she walked out of the room, followed closely by Derek and Callie, she smiled at Arizona, who smiled back.

"But that's just it," Cristina said. "I don't think it was my best.” She turned and also left the room.

Alone in the room now, Arizona’s smile fades and is replaced with a look of suspicion. “Something doesn’t feel right here,” She sighed, shook her head, as if to eradicate that thought, and went to check on the patient.

 

***

The following day in the media room at the hospital, a large group of photographers and reporters awaited the arrival of Isobel Stevens, Chief of Surgery, to begin the press conference regarding the condition of the mayor’s son. She entered the room, followed closely by Arizona Robbins, Cristina Yang, and Derek Shepherd- camera bulbs flashed with earnest, the reporters clamored for their questions to be answered.

“Dr. Stevens, Dr. Stevens… over here!”

“Look this way… here, here! Chief Stevens!”

“Ok, calm down everyone. I’ll get to all of you.” Izzie said, with a wink. “The patient, is in stable condition and we expect him to make a full recovery.”

“Our sources tell us things were dire for a while, until you came up with a genius procedure to save the boy,” A reporter interrupted.

“Well, your sources would be correct.” Izzie said. Arizona’s face twitched a little, but remained expressionless.

On the other side room Callie, Meredith, and Alex Karev watched the reporters falling over themselves to get Izzie’s attention, as the back and forth continued.

“She’s just so awesome. Look at her up there,” Callie said. “She’s brilliant. The cameras love her. I’d be blowing chunks all over their faces, but she has them eating out of her hands.”

“Robbins is looking pretty hot lately,” Alex said.

“Not her, Alex… Izzie,” Callie countered. “Arizona, is Arizona. I love her, and she’s great… but, Izzie is radiant in front of the cameras.”

“I gotta agree with Callie on this one Alex, Izzie looks fantastic up there,” Meredith teased. “You’re just grumpy that she’s the one that got away.”

“Whatever,” Alex grumped. “I’m immune to her crap. Besides, I have Jo now, why would I want that mess.” He pointed to the stage.

“Because she’s smart, beautiful, successful, rich... she singlehandedly saved this hospital… need I go on?” Callie replied.

“Oh, I will… she’s kind and generous, a philanthropist… a best-selling author… everyone loves her, Alex. What’s wrong with you?” Meredith added.

“If you two love Izzie so much, why don’t you just go… love Izzie,” Alex said. “I’m outta here. I have a job to do.”

 

***

Alex arrived in the pit and was immediately waved over to bed containing a teenage girl.

“Alex, thank god.” Jo said.

“What do we have?”

“Sixteen year old female, admitted with hallucinations- tox screen is negative. She’s calmed somewhat now, but she was saying some odd stuff earlier.”

Alex shined his light in the girl’s eyes and asked. “What did you take?”

“This isn’t real,” the girl replied. “None of this is real.”

“Oh, it’s real alright. I need you to tell me what you took…” He began, but the girl started to convulse. “Hold her down, she having a seizure. Where is the parent?”

“I’m here,” a very nervous woman stated.

“Is she epileptic?”

“No, nothing like this has ever happened before.”

“Did the hallucinations start before or after the seizures?” He asked.

“I’m not sure, she was at school. She’s a good girl, she wouldn’t do this to herself- this isn’t drugs.”

The girl had stopped seizing and was now unconscious.

“She also has this strange mark on her wrist,” Jo added.

Alex examines the mark on the girl’s wrist.

“I’ve never seen that before,” the mother said, “It wasn’t there this morning.”

“It looks like a burn or a brand,” Alex said. “But, it’s healed. What shape is that? It almost looks like a horseshoe. Is that a gang symbol?”

“It looks like Greek letter Omega, and none of the local gangs use that,” Jo answered. “Why would she burn this on her wrist?”

“I’m telling you… that wasn’t there this morning.” The mother repeated “Her school took a field trip here today, to Grey Sloan Memorial, could she have picked something up? A virus, maybe?”

“I guess it’s possible… get her a head CT and run her blood work again,” Alex said to Jo, then turned back to the mother. “We’ll figure this out, Ma’am.”

 

***

Later that night at Emerald City Bar, the whole gang, minus Alex, are having drinks. They had pulled several tables together in the center of the room. They were crowded together closely, as the bar was jam-packed.

At one end of the table sat Derek and Owen and on the other end, was April, Meredith and Cristina, and sandwiched in between, facing the stage, was Callie and Arizona. Jackson was at a separate table with his date, Stephanie- the other interns, Heather, Leah, and Shane were sat at their table.

“What about that one over there?” Cristina points out a redhead at the bar to Meredith.

“I think their kids would be so ginger, they’d glow in the dark.” Meredith replied.

“You’re still trying to find a mate for Owen?” Callie asked.

“That’s offensive on so many levels, Cristina,” Arizona added.

“You’re absolutely right.” Cristina said to Arizona, as she shook her head agreement. She turns back to Meredith, “How about the brunette, two seats over?”

“Cristina,” Owen warned. “Let’s just enjoy our night out. No fix-ups tonight.”

“Fine,” Cristina said. “But tomorrow we are updating your profile on Seattle Spouse Quest: The Soul Mate Seeker website.”

Owen’s eyes got so big and his face so red, that Meredith, April, and Callie all giggled.

“Cristina,” he said, through gritted teeth.

“Fine, I’ll stop,” Cristina said. “Where is Evil Spawn tonight?” She changed the subject, to save further embarrassment for Owen.

“On call,” Arizona answered. She reached over and grabbed a peanut from the bowl and popped it in her mouth. “What about Matthew, April?”

“He’s on tonight too.”

“They are going to miss Izzie’s performance!” Callie said, as she grabbed a handful of peanuts and crammed them into her mouth.

“It’s not like it’s a hardship or anything, Wilson’s on call too.” Arizona said. “They’re probably snuggled up in an on-call room.”

“But this is going to be epic.” Cristina replied.

“Yeah, I think she’s going to do something off of her new EP.” Meredith said.

“When did she have time to even record an album?” Arizona questioned, as she took another peanut from the bowl.

“Come on, Arizona… she’s Izzie,” Callie said. “She is the queen of multitasking. You should know this.”

“Seriously, though,” Arizona said, as she leaned in closer to Callie, Meredith, and Cristina. “All this doesn’t strike you as a little bit weird? She’s so perfect at everything?”

“Are you jealous, Robbins?” Cristina asked.

“No. Of course not.” Arizona denied. “I just think…”

“Oh my god, shut up. She’s starting,” Callie said.

Izzie took the stage and began singing. Arizona scowled and irritably grabbed another peanut.

“Look at her,” Callie sighed. “The way she strums that guitar is just...”

Arizona’s scowl intensified, as she looks at everyone else at their table. They were all mesmerized, eyes following Izzie’s every move. As the song went on, Callie looked over and noticed the look on Arizona’s face.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” She asked. The earnest look on Callie’s face softened Arizona’s sulk.

“Nothing,” She sighed, “I just… She’s so perfect… you can’t keep your eyes off of her, and I just…”

“Dance with me,” Callie interrupted. Arizona started to shake her head ‘no’, but Callie had none of it. “Yes, you are going to dance with me.” Callie took Arizona by the hand and pulled her up and out onto the dance floor, just as the song came to an end. Arizona started to head back to the table, but stopped when Izzie started talking.

“Good evening everyone. I'd like to dedicate this to some friends of mine - a very special couple, one half of which, was in the plane crash with me. Our lives are forever bound through that tragedy, and I’m sorry I couldn’t do more to help her.” As the band started play a slow melody, Izzie put her guitar aside and sat at the piano. Her fingers dancing across the keys, she started once again to sing.

"When I hear that serenade in blue, I'm somewhere in another world alone with you…"

Callie once again extends her hand to Arizona.

"Sharing all the joys we used to know, many moons ago…"

Arizona takes her hand and they move together.

"Once again your face comes back to me…"

They start to dance. Arizona puts her head on Callie’s shoulder and puts her hand on her back, holding her a little tighter.  
"Just like the theme of some forgotten melody, In the album of my memory…"

Derek and Meredith smiled at each other from across the table, as they enjoyed the song. Owen stole a glance at Cristina, who stared stone faced ahead.

"Serenade in blue, Seems like only yesterday, A small café, a crowded floor…”

Again, Arizona hugged Callie tight.

"And as we danced the night away, I hear you say forever more, And then the song became a sigh…"

April sighed and put head on her hand, looking over at Jackson, who was looking back at her. Then, both looked back to the stage as Izzie continued.

"Forever more became goodbye, But you remain in my heart, Tell me darling is there still a spot."

“Callie,” Arizona said. “I’m sorry about…”

“No, no talking,” Callie replied. “More dance.”

“But, I just want to apologize about getting jealous so much,” Arizona said as the moved together on the dance floor. “It’s just, everything was so messed up in my head for so long, and then with the wish and almost losing you…”

“It’s ok, I get it.” Callie said. “We’re strong, ok? Nothing’s going to happen to us.”

“I know, but something feels off, everyone is so…” Arizona began, but was interrupted when Izzie stepped off the stage.  
A young woman, rushed by them, almost knocking them over as she bumped into them, Callie’s strong arms kept them from meeting the dance floor up close and personal.

“Izzie, Izzie! Can I have your autograph?” The young woman asked, holding up Izzie’s book: How to Survive Plane Crashes and Other Seattle Disasters: The Life and Times of Isobel Stevens.

“Of course, let’s head over to my friends’ table and get something to write with, ok?”

Callie and Arizona returned to their seats as well. Izzie took her seat, pulled out a marker and opened the book. “What’s your name?”

“Deanna, my name is Deanna,” She giggled nervously.

Izzie scribbled in the book, Arizona asked, “How old are you? You look a little young to be in a bar.”

“I, uh… I’m seventeen. I used my sister’s ID to get in, please don’t tell anyone… I’m going straight home after this… I just really wanted to meet Dr. Stevens.” She turned back to Izzie, “I… Uh, watched your press conference today, it was amazing. The way you saved that boy? I want to be a doctor, just like you.”

“Look at you Iz, inspiring young minds with your genius.” Meredith said.

Izzie laughed and handed to book back to the girl, as she did there was slight glow as their hands touched. No one noticed, save for Arizona. She looked around to see if anyone else noticed, but everyone was distracted by their own conversations.

“Huh.” Arizona said. “Did...”

“Thank you so much,” Deanna said, and interrupted Arizona. “I’ll treasure this forever.”

“You’re welcome,” Izzie said, “Now you get yourself home before you get into any trouble.”

“I think we are going to call it a night, too,” Meredith said. “Our babysitter hates late nights.”

“Us too.” Callie said “Come on, Arizona. Izzie’s song was so beautiful and romantic… I can’t wait to get you home and…,” She trailed off as everyone looked at her expectantly. “And… uh, tuck you in.”

Owen laughed, “Cristina? April? Do you guys need a ride?”

“Yeah, sure,” Cristina replied.

“That would be very nice, thank you Dr. Hunt.” April said.

Everyone left, leaving Izzie alone at the table. This prompted Jackson and the interns to come over.

“May we join you?”

“Of course, Dr. Avery.” Izzie faked a smile, as her eyes trailed the others out the door.


	3. Chapter 3

"You know,” Dr. Wyatt said, “These sessions are pointless if you don’t say anything.”

Arizona was sat on the couch in Dr. Wyatt’s office, she stared out the window, and she looked as though she was pondering life’s great mysteries.

“Arizona?” Dr. Wyatt prodded.

Arizona finally blinked and flicked her eyes back at Dr. Wyatt, who lifted her eyebrows in question. “Are you ok?”  
“Yes,” Arizona sighed, “I’m just distracted today. It’s nothing really.”

“Nothing?” Dr. Wyatt asked. “I haven’t seen you this contemplative in a while. Something’s going on in that head of yours.”

“I just feel, kind of off, you know?” Arizona replied. “It’s nothing I can pinpoint, just a general… off… ness. It’s kind of like…” She paused and tried to gather her thoughts.

Dr. Wyatt nodded for her to continue, “What’s it like, Arizona?”

“Do you remember that, uh…, dream I had. The one where everything was different?”

“The one where you wished you’d stayed in Africa and when you came back everything was altered, Callie was in a coma and your daughter…”

“Don’t say it.” Arizona said. “Don’t. Do not say those words.” She sighed. “But, yes, that one.”

“Are you feeling as though you need to escape again? Imagining things as different?”

“What? No. No, absolutely not.” Arizona vehemently denied. Her face softened a bit as she admitted, “I do occasionally daydream about my leg being back, though. That Dr. Stevens had been able to save it out there in the woods. But, that’s normal right?”

“Of course, as long as you aren’t dwelling on it. It’s perfectly normal to have those thoughts. Is that what’s on your mind?”

“No, not really… maybe a little. I mean, I thought I’d come to terms with this. I feel like I did, but now… she’s so perfect at everything. Why the one thing I need her for, she can’t do?”

“I should say ‘you shouldn’t be putting unrealistic expectations on her,’ but you are right. I’m surprised myself that she wasn’t able to help you.”

“Ok, I wasn’t expecting that response.”

“Well, it’s true, right?” Dr. Wyatt said. “Isobel Stevens is the preeminent doctor in the country, she is triple board certified in general, orthopedics, and cardiology. I totally understand your disappointment with her failure to save your leg.”

“Well, she kept us alive out there, I guess that’s all I could ask for, right?” Arizona said. “But, you know… that gets me thinking… when did she have time to get triple board certified? She was in the same class as Alex and Cristina, and they are still fellows.”

“Effective time management?”

“I guess.”

“Do you think that maybe you are resenting her?” Dr. Wyatt suggested.

“No… yes… maybe?” Arizona grumped.

“Dr. Robbins… Arizona, you are sounding a bit like a petulant teenager.”

“It’s just… she’s everywhere,” Arizona said. “I don’t get it. This feels wrong.”

“Maybe you don’t resent her… Maybe… Are you jealous?”

“What?” Arizona exclaimed. “Why does everyone think I’m jealous, just because I don’t feel like worshiping her like Callie does?”

“Ah ha.”

“What? What…ah ha?” Arizona said, Dr. Wyatt just raised an eyebrow. “No. No way. There is no ah ha to be ha’d.” Arizona paused a second, “Ok, I’m not really sure what I’m saying or what you are saying, so… what exactly are you ah ha-ing?”

“The fact that you aren’t jealous of Dr. Stevens’ accomplishments, but you are jealous of your wife’s admiration of those accomplishments.”

“Noooo… that’s not, no. Ok, maybe. A little bit.” Arizona admitted. “I mean, she’s extremely beautiful, and funny, and has really big… accomplishments. And… Callie is very attracted to big accomplishments.”

“You know what you have to do about this Arizona, we’ve discussed this. You have to talk to her.”

“Yeah, you’re right.” Arizona agreed. “Callie and I are having lunch in an hour, I’ll talk to her about it then.”

“No, not Callie… Izzie, talk to Izzie about this. She can help. She’s amazing.”

***

“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” Arizona said to herself as she knocked on Chief Stevens’ door. Without waiting for an answer, she opened the door and poked her head in. “Do you have a minute?”

Izzie jumped and shoved something into her giant desk drawer. “Of course. Um… you know my policy… my door is always open,” She said. “What can I do for you, Dr. Robbins?”

“Honestly? I just need to chat,” Arizona sighed. “My therapist, Dr. Wyatt, suggested I talk a few things over with you.” She paused, then added, “If you have time?”

“Of course, what’s bothering you?”

“You.” Arizona said.

“What?” Izzie asked. “Me?”

“Kind of, yeah,” Arizona replied. “I know we are friends, and we bonded on that mountain, but… sometimes I feel like people forget that… there were other people on that plane. You weren’t the only one. And you certainly didn’t lose a limb, or a sister, or a… a… a Mark. And people look at you like you are a super hero, and that makes me feel…”

"Arizona, you know what I think: I don't think this about you being angry with me, I think you're angry with Callie,” Izzie said, she tried to deflect Arizona’s ire away from her.

Before Arizona could work up a righteous denial, her pager went off. “Crap. It’s the pit.”

“I’ll come with, we can walk and talk.” Izzie rounded her desk and they headed out the door toward the ER.

“So, I was saying about Callie… I mean, you have this amazing connection with her and then when it matters the most she looks into your eyes and she doesn't even see that it's not you looking back at her. She doesn’t see that you’ve changed. The crash changed you. You can’t connect with her, she doesn’t understand what we went through, what it was like out there.”

“Actually, we’ve made a lot of progress with that. Six months ago I would have agreed with you, but I’ve been sharing more with her and she has been really listening. It’s been amazing. And though it wasn’t the same, we both suffered those four days- we’ve acknowledged that, and have learned to empathize with each other’s experience, without discounting our own. We have even formed a ‘communication plan’, which we practice nightly.”

“Then, maybe you still resent her for not being able to save your leg?” Izzie suggested.

“No, I’ve come to terms with that too,” Arizona said. “It’s not like she could, just magically save my leg. It was pretty far gone. I realize that. Though, I do wonder why you couldn’t do more… You are a Harper Avery winner for your artificial cartridge research. You couldn’t use your magic and make a foray into bone and tissue regeneration?”

“I, uh,” Izzie swallowed hard. “What? My magic? Uh….um, no I’m sorry. You were too far gone, and… and, we both know magic doesn’t exist.”

“Right,” Arizona bit at her lip. “Pfft. Magic. I don’t even know why I said that. That’s, heh, that’s crazy talk. Magic. Nope. No knowledge of magic. What. So. Ever.”

Izzie also looked a bit like a deer in headlights at the turn the conversation had taken, she decided it was best to ignore it and change the subject, “Arizona, if there's any part of you that's still blaming Callie for what happened…” She said, “It seems to me like maybe there's a part of you that needs to forgive her?”

They get on the elevator and Arizona pressed the button for the ground floor.

“Nope,” Arizona said. “That’s all old news. Apparently your people reading skills aren’t as accomplished as the rest of you.”

“Ok, then what are we even talking about?” a frustrated Izzie asked.

“Honestly,” Arizona said. “I don’t know anymore. I was feeling a little jealous of Callie’s, kind of… hero worship of you… and Dr. Wyatt suggested I talk to you, but… this is a conversation I need to have with Callie, and I know that…” She shook her head. The elevator dinged their arrival on the ground level and they headed off toward the pit. “I don’t know why I let Dr. Wyatt talk me into discussing this with you. Really, I’m sorry I bothered you.”

“No, it’s fine,” Izzie said.

They arrived at the pit, Alex was there waiting for them.

“Robbins,” Alex said. “Iz, I didn’t page you.”

“I was with Dr. Robbins, I just tagged along.”

“Ok well, we have a seventeen year old female, experiencing hallucinations and confusion. Tox screen is negative for all known substances. The funny thing is, we had a patient just like this yesterday. Same symptoms, even saying the same crazy shit, nothing on blood work for that one either. And get this, they both have this scar on their wrist.”

“Show me,” Izzie said.

“I’ve got her in a trauma room, we had to strap her down.” Alex said, as he led them toward the room with the teen.

“What happened with the patient yesterday?” Arizona asked.

“She’s in a coma now.”

Izzie’s eye’s widened in shock, but she covered it quickly.

Alex opened the door to the trauma room, where Jo tried to keep the patient calm.

"These are lies,” she screamed. "None of this is real.”

“Oh my god,” Arizona exclaimed. “That’s the girl from last night at Joe’s. What was her name?”

“Deanna,” Izzie said, horrified. “Her name was Deanna.”

Deanna reached over and grabbed Arizona’s arm and looked her directly in the eyes. “You have to believe me. The world has been changed.”

Arizona carefully removed herself from the girl’s grasp, as she did she noticed the scar on the wrist. “Is this what you were talking about?” She asked Alex.

“Yeah, it’s a… what did you say it was, Dr. Wilson?” Alex asked.

“I think it’s an Omega.” Jo answered. “From the Greek alphabet.”

“I just remembered I have a meeting,” A scared looking Izzie said. “I need to run, but… I wouldn’t worry too much about this, it’s probably a virus. And… I don’t think the mark has anything to do with it. I’ll look into some stuff, you should just drop it. Treat her with a wide-spectrum antibiotic.”

“Sure thing.” Alex replied, but Arizona ignored him. Her eyes narrowed, as her gazed followed Izzie’s quick exit from the pit.

“Should we call the CDC?” Alex asked, breaking Arizona’s train of thought.

“What?” She asked.

“Do you think she’s right? It could be some sort of virus? Something bad?”

“Do another round of blood work, start the antibiotics and antivirals- call the other local hospitals and see if they’ve seen anything similar. We don’t need to call in the big guns just yet.” Arizona said. “But… I’m going to go do some research, let me know when the blood work is in.”

***

Huddled in the corner of the cafeteria Arizona, Callie, Meredith and Cristina were engaged in a heated discussion while they ate their lunch.

“I’m telling you, there is something hellmouthy going on.” Arizona said. She had relayed everything that had happened in the ER, with Deanna and what she said about how ‘the world had changed.’ The others were skeptical, at best.

“I don’t know, Arizona.” Callie said. “We can’t just blame every weird case on the hellmouth now.”

“No, I know that,” Arizona replied. “But Izzie looked scared, like she was hiding something.”

“Izzie doesn’t get scared,” Cristina said.

"Heh! Arizona, this is Isobel Stevens.” Callie agreed. “You know she doesn't get scared. You talked about it when you presented her with the heroism award for her actions during the plane crash."

“You’re right,” Arizona conceded. “But I still think something is up. Look,” she took out a notepad and a pen and drew the symbol, Ω, which was on both girls’ wrists, “have any of you seen this before?”

“Oh, yeah,” Meredith said. “That’s an Omega.” Then at everyone’s surprised look. “What? I was in a sorority, sue me.”

“Ok, we’ll discuss that later,” Cristina said. “But that is definitely an Omega, from the Greek alphabet, it literally means ‘great O’.”

“Really?” Callie snickered as she took a bite of her mac-n-cheese. “That sounds naughty. I love a great O.”

“And I’m sure Robbins can provide you one later,” Cristina said. “But this just means ‘great O’ as in upper case ‘O’. You would think someone with the name Calliope Iphigenia would know something about the Greek alphabet.”

“Yeah, just because my parents were strangely obsessed with mythological names, doesn’t mean they passed that on to me. How do you know that?”

“I’m no Lexipedia, but I’m no slouch either, Torres.” Cristina replied.

“What are you thinking here, Arizona?” Meredith asked.

“I don’t know. I’ve just got a feeling,” Arizona said. “In my gut, you know?”

“Maybe we should try to contact Anya?” Callie suggested. “Even though, technically, she plays for the other team.”

“She’s gay?” Cristian blurted. “Wait, no… the other team for you would be straight… but … Callie you play for both teams… This is confusing. What team are we talking about here?”

“I think she means, the ‘demon team’, Cristina.” Meredith said.

“Oh, right. Sorry,” Cristina said. “Well, good luck with that,” she grabbed her trash, and stood to leave.

“Wait, you’re leaving?” Arizona asked.

“I have surgery, and Izzie is scrubbing in. I want to be my best for her.” Cristina said, as she left the others alone at the table.

“Lucky. Izzie never scrubs in on my surgeries anymore.” Callie sighed.

“Ok, seriously you guys. Something is up with Izzie too,” Arizona said.

"I-I'm sorry Arizona... I just don't understand what you're trying to say." Meredith said.

"Well, I was just kind of wondering if maybe anyone thought that Izzie was kind of too perfect?" Arizona asked.

"No she's not! She's just perfect enough!” Callie exclaimed. “She stopped the hospital shooter after performing lifesaving surgery on Derek, at gunpoint. She saved you all on that mountain, and she managed to single handedly convince the Harper Avery foundation to put up the money to buy this hospital and save it from bankruptcy! We saw her doing those things!"

“But that's just it. I'm not entirely sure that we can trust our memories,” Arizona said. “Our memories don’t make any sense. Since when does Cristina Yang want to impress someone who started her residency at the same time as her? And Callie, Izzie slept with your husband. She broke up your marriage, which I’m grateful for, but you shouldn’t be following her around like a puppy. It’s not natural.”

“She’s got a point,” Meredith said, looking toward Callie.

“I think that Izzie may be doing something so that she's manipulating the world and we're all like her pawns.” Arizona said.

“Wow, Arizona,” Callie shook her head. “I’ll buy the Omega thing is weird and probably hellmouthy, but this Izzie obsession… I know you have a tendency to be jealous, but this is ridiculous. It’s plain simple jealousy.”

“Well do you blame me?” Arizona shouted, as she became distressed. “You worship her Callie. She’s smart and beautiful and whole…” She choked up and looked away, unable to finish.

“Hey, no,” Callie said gently, “Sweetheart.”

“I’m going to give you two some privacy.” Meredith said, as she made a quick exit.

“Arizona, look at me,” Callie implored her anger having left the moment her wife got upset. “Please, look at me. Don’t close up.”

Arizona looked back at Callie and sighed. “This isn’t jealousy. And…I know it sounds crazy, but...”

“It sounds like nonsense." Callie said. Arizona face fell and she looked discouraged. "But I know you well enough to know… You see things that the rest of us don't. I think, no, I know... I’m going to trust you, and follow your lead."

“Thank you, Callie.”

“Don’t thank me, Arizona.” Callie said. “I’m your wife, I trust you and I love you. If you are telling me something is off, even if I don’t feel it… I’m going to believe you. Ok?”

Arizona smiled, “Ok.”

“And hey,” Callie said, her voice broke on the words, “You are smart and beautiful and whole. You are everything. And you’re mine, so come here and hug me.”

Arizona did as she was told and moved into her wife’s arms. She tried to stop them, but the tears came anyway.

“So, what’s our plan?”

“Well, first,” Arizona said, as she wiped her eyes, “I’m going to the bathroom to fix this mess,” she indicated her face, “and then, we should go to the coffee cart to try and contact Anya.”

“Should we try to get Meredith and Cristina back? Mer seemed kind of receptive.” Callie asked.

“Yeah, you go find her and then meet me at the coffee cart. We’ll worry about Cristina later.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Callie smiled.

“Thank you for trusting me.”

“Always, Arizona, always.” Callie said. “Even though every fiber of my being is telling me that Izzie is flawless. It’s always going to be you. I’ll always choose you.”

Arizona smiled through more tears. “I love you.”


	4. Chapter 4

After leaving the pit, Izzie returned to her office and quickly shut the door behind her. She leaned back against the office door and closed her eyes. She stayed that way for several seconds before she moved over to her desk. After she sat down, she pulled the up the sleeve of her blouse and ran her fingers across the small scar on her wrist. She reached over and picked up her phone and dialed a number.

“Hey, we need to talk,” Izzie said into the phone receiver. “No, this isn’t a conversation we can have over the phone…. No, it’s about Omega… NO… just get here!”

***

Arizona stood at the sink in the ladies room and washed her hands. She looked up into the mirror and was started by a man’s reflection. She immediately turned around and took in his appearance, he was wearing casual grey sweatpants and a plain white t-shirt. “Oh, I’m sorry sir, but this is the ladies room.”

“I’m here for Izzie.”

“Well,” Arizona looks around the empty bathroom, “she’s clearly not here and neither should you be.”

“You don’t understand. I’m here for Izzie,” He said.

“Right. Like I said, Izzie isn’t here… Mr.?”

“Denny. My name is Denny and I’m here for Izzie.”

“And. I. Still. Don’t. Know. What. That. Means.” Arizona said, slowly and with considerable sarcasm.

“Wow. When Mark said you were pig-headed, he wasn’t kidding.”

“Hey, listen here.” Arizona said. “I happen to think I have a very pleasant head. His is the one that is kind of swine shaped. And… and… wait a minute… Mark’s dead.”

“Yes,” Denny said. “As am I.”

“You’re a ghost?” She reached out and moved her arm back and forth through his body. “How? How am I seeing you?”

“It’s this bathroom, I’ve been following you around waiting for you to come in here, it’s on a diagonal collocation with the hellmouth, which amplifies the conductivity of spectral projection.”

“Wha?”

“It’s like a giant ghost battery that allows you to see me.” Denny said. “But, only here, and only the receptive. Like you.”

“So now I’m receptive, I thought I was stubborn?”

“He said pig-headed.”

“Who are you, again?”

“I’m Denny Duquette, and I’m here for Izzie.”

“Yeah… you keep saying that, and yet, I still don’t know what that means.”

“I don’t really know either, I was hoping you would,” Denny said. “All I know is, things aren’t what they seem and Izzie shouldn’t be here.”

“OH! Denny!” Arizona exclaimed as she suddenly realized who he was. “You were they guy she hallucinated when she had the brain tumor.”

“Yeah, she wasn’t actually hallucinating…” Denny confessed. “Her tumor allowed her to see me. I was… kind of… haunting her.”

“You aren’t trying to tell me I have a tumor are you? Because after everything I’ve been through the past couple years that would be a major… bummer.”

“No. No tumors. I’m not exactly sure why you can see me… But, I think it probably has something to do with the fact that you’ve created and destroyed an alternate reality. And, you had Mark Sloan inside you.”

“Please say ‘possessed’, please say ‘Mark Sloan possessed you,’ not… not that other thing.” Arizona shuddered. “Because if everyone that Mark Sloan had been in could see ghosts…”

He smiled at her, “Ok. Either way, you’re open to the supernatural now. You’ll be more aware than the average person.”

“So, you are ‘here’ for Izzie, but you don’t know what that means, am I right?”

“Exactly.” He replied.

“Is her tumor back?” She asked simply.

“I don’t know.”

***

“Are you sure it said for us to meet her in the bathroom and not just you?” Meredith asked Callie as they walked back toward the cafeteria.

They had been waiting at the coffee cart for Arizona when Callie received a text with the change of plans. Before they left, Callie asked the barista to get word to Anya that they wanted to talk to her.

“Read the text yourself,” Callie held up her phone for Meredith to see, it said ‘Grab Meredith and Cristina and meet me in the ladies room- the one behind the cafeteria that no one uses because it smells like rotting cantaloupe.’

“You are lucky Izzie cancelled our surgery this afternoon, or you wouldn’t be graced with my presence. I really hate the rotting cantaloupe bathroom.” Cristina added. “I’m not so sure I even believe all of this Izzie stuff.”

“Cristina, Arizona made some valid points after you left, you should definitely hear her out.” Meredith said.  
As they walked past the cafeteria on route to the out-of-way restroom a pair of eyes tracked their path. When they turned the corner and moved out of view, the figure stepped out of the shadows and stealthily followed behind them, making sure to stay far enough back to remain unnoticed.  
***  
Callie, Meredith, and Cristina paused outside the rotting cantaloupe bathroom as they could hear Arizona having, what sounded like, a one-sided conversation.

“I think we may need to have an intervention for your wife Torres,” Cristina said. “Maybe the hellmouth has made her crazy.”

“Shut it, Yang, my wife is fine,” Callie said as she pushed through the door. They all filed through the opening to find Arizona having an animated discussion with thin air. “Ok, maybe she’s cracked a little…,” Callie conceded.

Arizona looked over and noticed them all staring at her, “Hey, great! You guys made it,” She exclaimed. “There is definitely something fishy going on around here.”

“We can see that,” Meredith said. “Are you feeling ok?”

“Arizona, honey, what’s going on?” Callie asked.

“Denny and I were just discussing the possibilities of…”

“Wait. Stop. Back up.”

“Did you say… Denny? As in, the Denny that’s dead… As in Izzie cut the LVAD Denny?”

“Yes. Dead Denny is standing right here and I can see him, but only in the rotting cantaloupe bathroom, because of some crazy techno babble, that I’m pretty sure he made up, about ghost batteries and hellmouth juxtapositions and Mark possessing me and that Wishverse I created, but either way it doesn’t matter, because I can see him…”

“Arizona, you need to stop and take a breath,” Callie said. “Reorganize your thoughts, line them up in order, and then start over.”

“Right sorry,” Arizona took a breath and continued. “Denny is here and is a ghost and I can see him, because of details that aren’t important. The reason he is here though, is important. You guys following me?”

At three affirmative nods, Arizona continued.

“He’s not sure why or how, but he does know that Izzie shouldn’t be here. He doesn’t know anything about the weird Omega illness or if it’s even connected. But I think it is.”

“Wow.” Callie said.

“Yeah, wow is my thought too.” Meredith agreed.

“So you are saying, what…? Izzie has changed… How we see her? She made us all love her, like a love spell or something,” Cristina asked. “Not that I’ve looked into those for Owen or anything… “

“Cristina! What have you done?” Arizona scolded.

“Nothing… yet,” She replied, “Let’s get back to Izzie and the horrible things she’s done.”

“It wasn’t a love spell,” Came an unfamiliar voice from the doorway of the bathroom, the accent distinctly British. Still hidden by shadows the figure continued. “It was some sort of augmentation spell, I believe.”

The four surgeons jumped at the sound of the new voice. Callie stepped in front of Arizona, as if to protect her. “Who are you and… and, how do you know this?” She asked.

“I know this, because I’m a bit of a witch, and…”She paused, “I’ve been here for years, acting as an agent of the Watcher’s Council. I’ve been keeping an eye on the forming hellmouth.” The figure stepped into the light.

Their eyes all widened with shock, except for Arizona who couldn’t see because of Callie’s protective stance.

“Oh my god!” Callie said.

“What? Who is it? Callie, move. Move over…” Arizona pushed Callie aside. “Wow.”

“Bokhee?” Meredith exclaimed.

“You’re British?” Cristina exclaimed.

“And a witch?” Arizona asked. “Like… a… witch, witch?”

“Black hat, rides a broom, witch?” Callie said. “Did we know that those exist?” She looks to Arizona for confirmation. Arizona just shrugged.

“Look, we haven’t time for this discussion now,” Bokhee said, “But once we’ve cleared this mess up, I’ll fill you all in. It’s time you’ve all been made aware anyway.”

“So, how are you…? I mean, how do you know? Are you… immune?” Arizona asked.

“Not at all,” Bokhee replied. “I’m actually quite smitten with Dr. Stevens at the moment. My coven in Devon contacted me, they detected the shift. They knew something had been changed, but not what… Actually it was you, Dr. Robbins, that narrowed my search to Isobel Stevens.”

Callie smiled proudly and rubbed her hand across her back, as Arizona blushed brightly.

“I can’t believe Robbins was right.” Cristina said.

“My wife is brilliant, Cristina,” Callie said. “No magic required.”

“So what exactly is an augmentation spell?” Arizona asked.

"Yeah, what, uh… did she have, uh… you know? Augmented." Callie asked. “Other than the obvious.”

Four sets of eyes all looked her way.

“What? I mean her huge… accomplishments.” Callie said. “What did you guys think I was talking about?” Cristina and Meredith laughed, and Arizona just rolled her eyes.

“Back on point,” Bokhee said. “She augmented herself and how we see her. These types of spells turn the recipient into a sort of paragon, the best of everything, everyone's ideal.”

“But, do we really believe that Izzie is not only capable of, but powerful enough to change all of our perceptions?” Meredith asked.

“Well my perception of Izzie is that she’s perfect- she can do anything, nothing gets in her way, therefore she’s both capable of, and powerful enough… Whoa. So… that’s like… a paradox, right? The only reason I think she can do it, is because she’s already done it?” Callie said. “Mind blown.”

“It is quite the stumper. But, with these types of spells, there’s always a drawback."

“The Omega illness,” Arizona said.

“I believe so, yes,” Bokhee agreed. “Which may help us track down which spell she used. And in turn, we learn how to break it.”

"So we're saying she did a spell just to make us think she was cool?" Callie asked.

“Yes,” Bokhee replied. “Essentially.”

“That is so cool!” Callie realized what she said, “Ok, clearly someone needs to smack me.”

“Don’t fret over it, my dear, it’s a very powerful spell.” Bokhee consoled Callie. “Denny, you go follow Izzie, see if you can learn anything.”

“I forgot Dead Denny was here.” Cristina said. “Wait… you can see him too?”

“I can see him everywhere, he’s quite the thorn in my side.” Bokhee answered.

“Well, honestly, he’s not very helpful,” Arizona said. “He just kept saying ‘I’m here for Izzie’ over and over. And I think he was trying to charm me with his crinkly sparkling eyes.”

“He was barking up the wrong tree.” Callie laughed.

“Yeah, and calling me pig-headed didn’t help.”

“What should we do, Bokhee?” Meredith asked.

“There is a room in the basement, barely used, though I do believe you used to spend quite a bit of time there, Dr. Torres.” Bokhee said. She winked at Callie then continued, “I keep all of my research materials in a small hidden chamber behind your former abode… we should go see what we can find on augmentation spells and this Omega illness.”

“My old stomping grounds- I used to dance in my underwear there… until Chief Webber caught me.” At Arizona’s look she said, “But that’s not really relevant. Let’s go do some research.”

“Yes, let’s leave this loo,” Bokhee scrunched her face. “It smells like rotting cantaloupe.”

***

April Kepner stood at the desk in the pit, her stylus moved across the screen of her tablet, as she updated various patient statuses.

Izzie walked up behind her and discreetly asked, “Dr. Kepner, may I have a word with you?”

“Of course,” April nervously responded. “What can I do for you Chief?”

“I want you to run some tests on me,” Izzie said. “The works, even run me through the Lodox machine. But I want it on the down low. Think you can handle that?”

“Yes, of… of course” April answered nervously. “Are we looking for anything in particular?”

“No, just… start up a chart for a Jane Doe and meet me in exam room 8.” Izzie said as she looked around nervously. “Make it quick, I’m expecting someone soon, and I’d like to be finished. Put a rush on the blood work, too.” Izzie walked off in the direction of exam room 8.

April just shook her head and immediately started making a chart for Jane Doe.

“Kepner,” Alex yelled as he came into the pit. “I need your help, I want to ask you a few questions about the mayor’s kid.”

“What exactly do you need to know?” She asked.

“How was his initial trauma work-up?

“We did basic damage control stuff, he was in bad shape when he came in, but things went pretty smoothly, especially once Dr. Stevens started helping.”

“He’s still in a coma?”

“Yeah, he had a pretty serious brain bleed.”

“But Shepherd got it under control pretty quickly, and his ICP is normal. He should be waking up.”

“Ok, you know I don’t really do much follow up once they are moved to ICU, so, what do you need from me?”

“Was he ever conscious? Did he say anything strange? Like how things weren’t real?”

“No, he was unconscious the whole time,” April replied. “Why? What are you thinking?”

“We’ve had some unusual cases the past couple days, teens with hallucinations and a strange scar on their wrists. Shaped like a horseshoe or the Greek letter Omega. We’ve kind of been calling it the Omega virus… unofficially, of course. We don’t know that it’s even a virus.” Alex explained. “Then, when I was doing the mayor’s kid’s post-op check-up, I noticed he had the same scar on his wrist. If he was hallucinating because of this ‘illness’, it could explain the accident.”

“I’m sorry I can’t help you more, but he was non-responsive when he arrived.” April said. “So I have no idea if he was hallucinating, or if he had the scar on his wrist. He was pretty scraped up…”

“Nah, it’s fine, whatever.” Alex said. “Have you seen Robbins anywhere, though?”

“I haven’t, sorry.” April said. “Look, I really need to go… I have a very important, uh… Jane Doe waiting…”

“Go. I’ll find Robbins myself.” Alex walked off to have Arizona paged.

***

Izzie flinched a little as April inserted the needle to draw her blood. “I’m sorry, did that hurt?”

“No, it’s fine Dr. Kepner.” Izzie said.

“You never answered… are we looking for anything in particular?” April questioned. “Are you having symptoms?”

“Not really, it’s just a… feeling, you know?” Izzie confided. “Something feels off, I haven’t felt myself for days.”

As April put the cotton swab on the blood draw sight she noticed the horseshoe shaped scar on the blonde’s wrist. She grabbed Izzie’s arm to examine it closer. “Dr. Stevens?” April asked. “How long have you had this mark on your wrist?”

Izzie sighed and then asked. “Can I trust you, April? To keep this between us?”

“Of course.”

“I don’t know. I... I first noticed it 3 days ago…” Izzie said. “I have no idea where it came from. Or if…”

“If it’s connected to the teens?”

“Exactly, what if I start hallucinating?” Izzie questioned. “This can’t get out.”

“We’ll figure this out Dr. Stevens, I promise.” April said. “I’m going to take these down to the lab myself, I’ll be right back and we can do the Lodox. You can… get into a gown while I’m gone?”

“Sure,” Izzie sighed.

April left and Izzie started to undress.

“I should probably turn around.” Denny said. “Or close my eyes.”

“What the fu…” Izzie yelled. “Who’s there?” She held her blouse up to her chest as she looked around the room. There in the corner stood Denny Duquette, their eyes made contact.

“Does this mean you see me?” Denny asked.

“Yep.” Izzie sighed.

“Well, crap.”

“My thoughts exactly.”


	5. Chapter 5

The four surgeons, plus Bokhee, made their way to the hospital basement. They arrived at the nearly empty room, which Callie used to live in. It was littered with old, rarely used equipment, and some out-of-date paraphernalia with the Seattle Grace Mercy West logo still on it.

“So where is the secret chamber?” Cristina asked. “I don’t see anything in here.”

“I’ve placed a protective spell on it,” Bokhee replied. “You wouldn’t see it. Period. I’m that good.”

Cristina chuckled, “Wow, I like confident witch Bokhee.”

Bokhee just smiled an headed toward the back of the room, she paused for a second, looking over her shoulder to make sure they were all paying attention, and then proceeded through the wall.

“That was cool.” Meredith said.

“Should we follow?” Arizona asked. “Just walk through the wall?”

“Well, I’m not going first,” Cristina said.

Callie just shrugged her shoulders, took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and stepped through the wall.

“Callie?” Arizona asked. “Can you hear me?”

Callie’s head, and just her head, poked through the wall, “Come on guys, what are you waiting for.” Her head ducked back beyond the wall.

The other three, one by one, walked through the wall.

On the other side was a decent sized room. Three walls were lined with bookshelves, packed full with some very old tomes. A round table sat in the middle of the room, and a couch lined the fourth wall.

On the couch sat Anya and she was reading Izzie’s book.

She ignored the intruders, and continued to read the book, until Bokhee went over and grabbed the book out of her hands.

"Hey! I was just at the part where she invented the internet." Anya said.

“Anyanka, I haven’t the time for your nonsense today.” Bokhee scolded. “We have an issue.”

“Ain’t that the truth,” Anya said. "But they sent for me,” she pointed toward the others, “my nonsense was requested. Can I have my book back?"

“So… you two know each other?” Callie asked, she pointed between Bokhee and Anya.

“Ever since your little run-in with Atё, Anyanka has been somewhat of a double agent for the Watchers Council.”

“Double agent sounds so official,” Anya said. “I’m just a simple disgruntled employee performing what equates to corporate espionage.”

“You mentioned the Watcher’s Council before, what exactly is that?” Arizona asked.

“It used to be a stuffy organization of old British white dudes, but it’s changed a lot since my old friends have taken over.” Anya said.

“Yes, yes.” Bokhee said. “But none of that is relevant now. We need to figure out what exactly Dr. Stevens has done, so we can fix it.”

“All I can tell you is… it wasn’t a wish.” Anya said. “I think I must be immune, because I’m not sensing anything strange.”

“So it’s not an alternate reality?” Arizona asked. “Like what I created?”

“Wait, what’s an alternate reality?” Meredith asked.

"Oh, alternate realities…. I got this.” Anya said. “You could, uh, could have like a world without shrimp. Or with, you know, nothing but shrimp.” Anya explained. “You could even make like a freaky world where Izzie is some kind of not perfect mouth breather if that's what's blowing up your skirt these days. Just don't ask me to live there! Now if I, uh, could just have my book back…”

“Oh my god,” Arizona said. “You are affected!”

“Impossible.” Anya scoffed.

Bokhee started handing out books to the four surgeons, “Look, we shouldn’t mess about, who knows how long we’ll be able to maintain our awareness- we should start with the research.” They took their seats around the large table.

“You know, musty old books can cause respiratory issues.” Cristina pushed the book away.

“Then it’s a good thing there are some doctors available.” Anya said sarcastically.

“Nobody said studying was involved.” Cristina complained.

“Take the book, Dr. Yang, this is my operating theater, not yours, I make the rules here.”

“Not enjoying confident witch Bokhee as much anymore,” Cristina said.

“Ooooh, but, I like bossy Bokhee.” Callie said. “This is going to be great.”

“Look, I understand, this world, the supernatural world, is difficult to grasp,” Bokhee explained. “But it’s real, and now that you are aware, there’s no going back. If you want to save those teens upstairs in a coma, this is how it’s done. Books, research, magic…”

“Ok, ok… I just, I feel like I’m betraying Izzie,” Cristina admitted.

“We all feel that way, it’s the spell,” Bokhee said.

“And how are we sure that Izzie and the coma kids are related?” Meredith asked.

"The kids had a mark on them. Izzie saw it a-and she kind of... blinked." Arizona said.

"She blinked? The woman moistened her eyeballs and we're having a meeting about it." Cristina said.

"She knows something about the illness. She was reacting to the mark. Oh!!!” Arizona exclaimed “Wait, I remember something. Callie, do you have the Izzie swimsuit calendar app on your phone?"

"No."

Arizona frowned in confusion and stared at Callie, her eyes narrowed.

Callie sighed, "Yes. It was a gift."

They all move to look at pictures on Callie’s phone. Arizona scrolled through the pictures. “No, no…. not this one, wait… here. Look.” She held up the phone for the others to see. The Omega mark was clearly on Izzie’s wrist.

“Oh.” Meredith replied.

“Oh, is right.” Callie sighed. “That’s my favorite picture of…” She trailed off, at the others stares. “What I mean is, clearly… she’s involved.”

“Why would Izzie have the same mark as the coma kids?” Cristina asked, finally persuaded of there was a connection.

“Let’s start by investigating the mark, this… this, Omega.” Bokhee said.

“Anya, do you know anything… have you ever seen anything like this mark before?” Arizona asked.

“This mark could simply be a trademark, from the witch or warlock that cast the spell. They usually like credit, even if no one is aware that of the spell, especial the more powerful ones. I’m not aware of any that use this symbol, though. Back in my Sunnydale days- we were once affected by an augmentation spell, this isn’t the same- the side-affect was a scary demon that the Slayer had to take out.”

“What’s a ‘slayer’?” Callie asked.

“A vampire slayer,” Bokhee answered. “We shouldn’t need one in Seattle- even with a forming hellmouth, there are not many vampires around here. Contrary to popular teen fiction, vampires don’t like this climate… they tend to mold.”

“Wait, we may have to fight a big demon?” Meredith asked.

“We may… at some point,” Bokee replied. “But, in this instance, with the side effect being an illness, not actual attacks… It will probably take a counter spell or something of the sort.”

“Oh, do we get to bake another lesbian drama pie? Like last time?” Cristina asked.

“Doubtful,” Bokee said, then added with pride. “I forgot to acknowledge a job well done on that Hubris incident, ladies. I was quite proud.”

Callie and Arizona blushed under Bokhee’s praise, which was strange, because before today, none of the four of them could remember Bokhee ever speaking, now they looked to her for leadership.

“Anyway,” Anya interrupted. “This doesn’t feel like an alternate reality, more like an altered reality.” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “I don’t feel like there are dead people who are alive, and alive people who should be dead, which is a major give away to alternate words. Which you have experience with, am I right?” She winked at Arizona.

“She keeps making reference to that, Arizona,” Meredith asked. “What is she talking about?”

“It’s nothing…,” Arizona started.

“Oh, well about… six months back,” Anya interrupted. “Arizona here got manipulated by a Greek goddess and… ended up making a wish to me. The results were…”

“Not something I like to talk about,” Arizona said, through gritted teeth.

Anya ignored Arizona’s protest and continued anyway, “Callie was in a coma, and their baby…”

“Enough,” Callie shouted. She could see the pain on her wife’s face. It hurt Callie hearing about it second hand, she couldn’t imagine living through it, like Arizona had. “You need to stop Anya, I don’t care how vengeancy you get. If you don’t shut your mouth…”

“Look, ladies, this research is not going to do itself,” Bokhee interrupted. “We haven’t time for arguments. There are sick children upstairs that need our help.” This put a stop to further dissention.

***

Izzie and Denny’s eyes remained locked. Neither knew what to say or do, or how to proceed beyond general surprise.

“So,” Izzie said.

“So,” Denny replied.

Izzie sighed, held her blouse tight to her chest, and finally asked. “Is it the mark on my wrist or is the tumor back?”

“I don’t know, Iz.” Denny said. “I… I’m not sure how much I can share.”

“So what does that mean?” She asked. “Are you just going to let me slip into a coma?”

“Well, I wasn’t anticipating you being able to see me. I’m kinda at a loss as to how to proceed.”

“Denny Duquette, you tell me what’s going on right now. This isn’t funny, I don’t have time for days and days of ‘I’m here for you’, I’m the chief, I have important business to attend to.” Izzie said.

“Are you?”

“What?” Izzie asked. “What are you talking about?”

“You tell me.” Denny said. “You know you can be honest with me Izzie. I have no allegiances, but… I don’t want any harm to come to you or anyone else.”

“Denny, all I know is three days ago this appeared on my wrist, and now we have a bunch of teenagers, with the same mark, hallucinating and falling into comas.”

“You didn’t put it there? The mark? It’s not your doing? You don’t know anything about it?”

“I… I… don’t know…”

“This all doesn’t feel wrong to you Izzie? You’ve got to feel it.” Denny implored.

“I… I...” Izzie stuttered. She looked down at her wrist, the scar visible, “It’s just…”

A knock at the door interrupted whatever Izzie was about to say. April poked her head in and asked, “Are you ready for your scan?”

Izzie glanced toward the corner where Denny stood, then said, “Yes, I’m finished here.” She pulled the hospital gown on. “Let’s go, Dr. Kepner.”

***

Back in Bokhee’s secret room Meredith walked back and forth with a book. Callie and Arizona were reading on the couch and Anya, Cristina, and Bokhee were seated at the table.

“So these spells really work?” Cristina looked at Bokhee. “You can really give someone mystical syphilis, or make them fall in love with you?”

“Neither of those are much fun,” Anya replied. “You would think a good love spell would be awesome, but they never turn out well.”

"They do work, Cristina, but they take concentration. Being attuned with the forces of the universe,” Bokhee replied.

"Right you probably can't just go 'librum incendere' and expect…" Callie said, causing the page of Callie’s book bursts into flames. Callie is shocked, she looked around the room for help before she finally slammed the book closed, extinguishing the fire.

“Sweetie, don’t speak Latin in front of the books.” Arizona patted Callie’s arm, then leaned over and kissed her astonished face.

“That was actually quite remarkable Dr. Torres, are you sure you’ve had no training?” Bokhee asked.

“Please,” Arizona said. “She grew up in a super Catholic house, I’m sure there wasn’t a whole lot of witchcraft being practiced in between Hail Mary’s.”

“Hmm.” Bokhee narrowed her eyes and studied Callie for a moment, then relented, “Ok.”

Denny suddenly appeared causing Arizona, to jump, “Jesus,” She yelled. “You guys who can teleport and be invisible and pop through walls need to start wearing bells or something. You’re going to give me a heart attack.”

“Are you cracking again, Robbins?” Cristina asked.

“Mr. Duquette has just arrived.” Answered Bokhee.

“Wait,” Callie said, “I thought she could only see him in the rotting cantaloupe bathroom?”

“Hmm, perhaps the magic in this room has amplified…” Bokhee trailed off, “Another interesting development. You two,” she continued, pointing at Callie and Arizona, “are pulsing with untapped magics.”

“Ok, that’s really interesting… but shouldn’t we be figuring out how to help these kids?” Meredith interrupted.

“And Izzie,” Denny added. “She has the mark too.”

“Yes, we are aware of that.” Bokhee replied.

“But are you aware that she has no idea how she got it?” Denny asked. “That it just appeared three days ago?"

“That, we were not privy to.”

“I’m not really fond of these one-sided conversations.” Cristina said.

“Right?” Meredith said. Callie also shook her head in agreement.

“He said that Izzie doesn’t know how she go the mark,” Arizona filled them in. “And that it just appeared three days ago… wait, that can’t be true, we saw it on a picture taken months ago…”

“I’m telling you,” Denny said. “She was telling the truth, I can feel it in my bones.”

“Ok, first of all, you don’t have bones, you’re a ghost.” Anya replied. “But, maybe your bones have been affected by the spell too?”

Callie, Meredith, and Cristina exchanged confused glances.

“Maybe we just have to confront her, all of us together… like, like an intervention.” Arizona suggested.

“I’m not sure I’d recommend that,” Bokhee replied. “Without knowing the specifics of the spell, it could be dangerous.”

“Izzie wouldn’t hurt us.” Callie said. “She’s our friend.”

“Are you sure?” Bokhee asked. “Are you willing to take that risk?”

“We have to do something, we can’t let those kids suffer.” Arizona said. “How about… how about you and Anya continue to research, and we’ll go talk to Izzie. Try to sniff out what she knows.”

“That could work, give us time to find some answers.”

“Yay, I love the interrogation part.” Callie said.

“No way, Torres.” Cristina said. “This time I’m going to be the bad cop, I’ll show you how it’s done.”

***

Alex had been searching for Arizona for the better part of an hour, his quest had led him to the basement, where a maintenance worker had said he saw her and some others head toward one of the old storage rooms. He entered the room to find it empty, but for some old junk. He growled in frustration as he pulled out his phone and dialed Robbins’ number again, and again it went straight to voicemail.  
“Dammit, Robbins,” Alex said into his phone, “Where the hell are you? I’ve been all over this hospital- now I’m standing here in an empty storeroom and I’m getting pissed. Answer your damn phone.” He moved the phone from his ear and angrily pressed the end button.

He looked up from his phone, toward the back wall of the storeroom, just in time to see the object of his search, along with, Callie, Meredith, and Cristina, as they stepped through the wall.

He promptly fainted.


	6. Chapter 6

When Alex’s eyes opened, there were four concerned faces staring back at him. He started to sit up, but the strong hand of Callie held him down. “Don’t try to sit up,” She warned. “You fainted.”

“Evil Spawn, you hit the ground pretty hard.” Cristina asked. “How many fingers am I holding up” She wasn’t holding up any fingers.

“Stop it, Cristina,” Arizona scolded. “He did hit the ground hard, he could have a concussion.”

“I’m fine,” Alex protested. “I just freaked out because you guys came through the wall.”

The four women all shared a look, an unspoken agreement passed between them.

“I don’t know what you are talking about, Alex.” Meredith said. “We came in from that door.” She pointed to the front, and only, entrance to the room.

“Yeah, then you did a face plant onto the floor.”

“What, no… that’s not…” Alex said. “You guys were walking… through… the wall? Weren’t you?”

They all shared another look.

“No way, Karev,” Callie said. “I, uh… don’t know… how we… even if… we could… impossible... Um.”

“What Callie is trying to say, is…,” Meredith interrupted, “We startled you when we came in the room, and you slipped and hit your head.” She looked at Callie again, “Right, Dr. Torres?”

“Right,” Callie smiled sheepishly. “You slipped.”

“I think you need a head CT.” Arizona said. “You seem to be experiencing some confusion and possibly memory loss. Yang, why don’t you and Meredith go get Alex checked out, and Callie and I will go talk to… ‘You know who’.”

“Alright, come on Alex, let’s go make sure we didn’t knock anything important loose.” Cristina said as they finally allowed Alex to sit up.

***

After they dropped Meredith, Cristina, and Alex off in the imaging department to get a head CT, Callie and Arizona made their way toward Izzie’s office.

“We should come up with code names,” Callie said. “Like secret agents?"

“Sure, what are you thinking?” Arizona replied.

“Hhmm, I could be the Latina and you could be the Blonde… Ooooh, or Rock Star and Roller Girl, No! The Badass,” she pointed to herself, “and the Leg…” she pointed at Arizona, whose eyebrows shot up on her forehead, Callie visibly gulped, “Uh, too soon?”

“No, just those are a little obvious, don’t you think?” Arizona replied. “You might as well call us Ortho and Peds, we want it to be secret, so… how about…” She started just as they arrived at their destination, “How about we discuss this later.”

“Yeah,” Callie agreed. “Good call.” She gestured to the door, “Should we knock?” They could see through the glass that the office was empty, but Arizona’s good manners would not be denied.

She reached up and rapped her knuckles against the office door. They stood a moment and waited for a response and when none came, Arizona grasped the doorknob and turned. They looked up and down the corridor and across the breezeway to make sure Izzie was nowhere in sight before stepping into the room.

“Let’s, uh...” Callie whispered. “Look around, see if we can find anything suspicious.”

“Yeah,” Arizona said as they made their way into the office. “You check the bookshelves, I’ll take the desk.”

Callie started searching up and down the shelves, she ran her fingers over various medals and awards, while Arizona went through Izzie’s desk.

“What are we looking for?” Callie asked.

“I’m don’t know, I was hoping we’d know when we see it, you know?” Arizona replied.

“That’s an awful lot of ‘knowing and not knowing’ in there, babe.” Callie chuckled.

“This morning when I stopped buy, she was acting a bit strange… I think she was hiding something in her desk, but I’m not… wait,” Arizona said as she pulled a picture out of the top drawer. Callie came over behind her to look. It was a picture of Izzie standing in front of building, they couldn’t really make out what sort of business it was, but what was written across the top of the building, was some pretty damning evidence.

“That building says ‘OMEGA’ in giant letters.” Callie pointed out.

“Yeah, it does,” Arizona sighed. “I don’t know how this is connected, but she’s definitely hiding…”

“Is this a private conversation?” Came Izzie’s voice from the doorway.

Callie and Arizona both jumped, “Aaahhh, oh god,” Callie yelled. “I think I might have died for a second.”

The chair Arizona was in, spun around and pushed the drawer closed. Arizona shoved the picture into the pocket of her lab coat.

“What are you guys doing in here?” Izzie asked.

“Uhh…..um… no… what?” Callie stuttered. “We were… um, what were we doing honey?”

“We were just waiting for you,” Arizona replied, a little more confident than her not-able-to-lie wife. “And my leg got tired, so I needed to sit.”

“Oh, of course… by all means, sit.” Izzie said quickly. “Whatever you need, Dr. Robbins… I’m sorry. I… I didn’t mean to imply anything…”

“Oh, no worries, Dr. Stevens,” Arizona smirked. “I knew you wouldn’t mind me resting my leg a bit.”

“Oh no, I would never…,” Izzie replied. “But… what can I do for you?”

“Hmm?” Callie hummed.

“You said you were waiting for me?” Izzie said.

“Oh! Right, we, um, actually… we wanted to… ask you a question.” Callie managed to get out.

“Yes,” Izzie smiled and said. “The answer to your question, is yes.”

“What?” Callie blurted. “I… I… um, what?”

“Yes, I’ll officiate your wedding,” Izzie said. “I mean the legal ceremony you are planning, I’ll do it. That is what you were going to ask, right?”

“Oh… uh … sure… maybe? I mean, of course. I think…" Callie said, her eyes gone wide, she looked to Arizona for help.

“How did you… we haven’t really discussed that with anyone…” Arizona asked.

“Oh, I know everything that goes on in the hospital, guys. You should know that by now, I. Know…” Izzie said, her smile had faded, and her voice had taken a more serious tone. “Everything.”

No one said anything for a few tense seconds. Izzie just stood there and watched them, and they in turn, stared back.

They seemed to be at an impasse, locked in battle of silent wills, when all of a sudden, Denny popped into the room behind Izzie, as a result, Arizona’s eyes inadvertently shifted in his direction. Izzie’s eyes narrowed. She turned around and spotted Denny, she then looked back to Arizona. Arizona closed her eyes and sighed, knowing she’d given herself away.

“Interesting.” Izzie smiled.

***

Cristina and Meredith hurried Alex through a CAT scan, he kept insisting he was fine, but then he couldn’t remember why he was looking for Arizona, and so they left him in Jo’s capable hands to await the results of his scan, while they headed off toward Izzie’s office to help Callie and Arizona.

“Is this a secret we should be keeping?” Meredith said. “Are we sure we did the right thing with Alex?”

“I mean, I kind of wish I didn’t know.” Cristina said.

“Right, I feel like I should tell Derek, though.” Meredith admitted. “He’s my husband, we have no secrets.”

“Except for that time he had a secret wife.”

“Now. We have no secrets, now.” Meredith smiled.

“I don’t know, I guess we should ask Bokhee.” Cristina shook her head. “Ugh, god. That is going be hard getting used to. She was so grumpy… and kind of scary.”

“Yeah, way scarier than the supposed ‘vengeance demon’.”

“I wonder what her story is.” Cristina asked. “How does one become a vengeance demon?”

“I’m not sure I want to find out.” Meredith replied.

As they moved across the catwalk they could see the three women in Izzie’s office- Callie looked panicked, and Arizona and Izzie looked to be in a heated discussion. They hurried across and burst into the office.

“What were you looking at just now, Dr. Robbins?” Izzie asked.

“Nothing.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Why? Obviously there is nothing there.” Arizona replied. “What were you looking at?”

“What’s going on?” Meredith asked.

“Ask her,” Izzie said, she pointed at Arizona.

“Ask her,” Arizona said simultaneously.

“Right, um…. I’m not exactly sure what they are arguing about,” Callie said. “But… I have an idea. I think it may have something to do with… um, eoplepay… that we can’t see.”

“Aha!” Izzie said.

“Izzie calm down.” Denny said. “They just want to ask you a few questions, about the mark on your wrist.”

“Izzie we just want to help you.” Arizona said, she tried to make it sound like it was her idea, not Denny’s, as she still wasn’t ready to admit to Izzie that she could see him.

“We just want to talk. If… if you are infected with Omega virus… you could start hallucinating.” Callie said. “And we wouldn’t want that to happen, right?”

“Yeah, Iz.” Meredith added. “Let us see your wrist.”

Izzie looked around at the four women, and sighed. She pulled up her sleeve and said, “Ok, it’s just… the other morning I woke up and it was just there.”

“When exactly?” Cristina asked.

“I noticed it in the shower the morning of 5th, the day the mayor’s son came in.” Izzie replied. “And… I… I…”

“What?” Arizona asked. “What are you hiding?”

“I am hallucinating,” Izzie confessed. “I’m seeing Denny right now.” Arizona’s eyes once again flicked toward Denny. “There… You did it again.” Izzie pointed toward Arizona. “You see him too, don’t you?”

The four women exchanged glances, not knowing how to respond.

Finally, Cristina growled, “Ok look, I’m just going to come out and say this Izzie. We want to know what you did, how you did it, and how to undo it.”

“I… I don’t know what you are talking about, Cristina,” Izzie said.

“We know you’ve done some kind of spell.” Arizona picked up. “You are like perfect at everything… How did you become the chief and triple board certified? We just… you need to stop it. Those kids shouldn’t have to suffer.”

“You think I did something to make look good and those kids sick?”

“Didn’t you?” Callie asked.

“No, I would never…” Izzie said. “How could you guys think I could do this?”

“I told you, she doesn’t know what’s going on.” Denny said to Arizona.

“Ok somebody please explain this to me…” Izzie said. “Am I going crazy or what?”

“Izzie, what do you know about Omega?” Arizona asked.

“I don’t know what you are talking about…” Izzie said.

“Don’t deny it.” Arizona pulled the picture out of her pocket and held it up for everyone to see.

“What is that?” Callie asked. “You at some Omega place… and then the mark on your wrist- that is the symbol for Omega? That seems like more than a coincidence.”

“Just tell us Izzie, we can help.” Meredith said.

“I… Honestly, I didn’t know what this on my wrist was… until Dr. Wilson identified it in the ER this morning…” Izzie sighed. “That place… I went there with…”

“Don’t say another word,” Came a voice from the door. “You don’t owe these people anything. You just keep your mouth shut, Cricket,” Robbie Stevens said, a giant smile on her face. “Oh, and I baked muffins if anyone wants some.”

***

“I’m bored.” Anya complained from her place sprawled across the couch.

“Maybe if you’d actually try and help, you wouldn’t be.” Bokhee admonished.

“I thought my research days were over. Why are we trying to fix this?” Anya said. “I enjoy this world. And, you know, maybe those teens will wake up.” She prattled on and on.

Bokhee sighed and tried to ignore her constant chatter.

“Why is it only affecting teens anyway?” Anya asked.

Bokhee looked up, “That is actually… an interesting question. Perhaps…” She was cut short by her iPhone beeping. “It’s my coven, I have to take this.”

“Witches these days.” Anya eye rolled. “So state-of-the-art, with their gadgets and demon apps. Did Willow make you take a class?”

“As a matter-of-fact, she held a seminar called Keeping up with Trends in Technology and the Modern Magic User. Standing room only, FYI. Now, if you’ll excuse me…” Bokhee took her phone to the corner to speak in private.

***

“So no one wants my muffin?” Robbie Stevens asked.

“No ma’am, I’m not a muffin eater,” Cristian replied. “Callie and Arizona, though… do either you want her muffin?”

“Yang,” Arizona scolded. Callie, however, gave Cristina a wink and a mental high-five.

“Well, I’ll just put them on your desk, Cricket. In case anyone wants a muffin later.”

“Mom, no one wants your damn muffin… I mean, wants any muffins… grrr, Cristina you suck.”

“I’m not really sure what we are talking about now,” Izzie’s mother said.

“I’m not really sure you want to know,” Meredith replied.

“Mom,” Izzie said. “I have to tell them.”

“No you don’t.”

“Yes, she does,” Arizona said. “Izzie, what’s going on?”

“I… The place in that picture… It’s my mom’s psychic.” Izzie confessed. “We went last week…”

“Cricket, I told you…”

“No, mom, you don’t understand.” Izzie implored. “People are getting sick, hallucinating… I’m sick.”

“That’s impossible.”

“It’s not we have a Ped’s ward full of kids in comas… with that mark,” Arizona pointed to Izzie’s wrist, “on them. It can’t be a coincidence.”

“No, I… I don’t believe you.”

“Mom, believe it,” Izzie said. “You have to tell us what you know.”

“But…. But they said…They said no harm would come to anyone,” Robbie admitted. “I signed a contract, and… and I was smart about it, Cricket… They said ‘no harm to any adults’, and… and, I added ‘to little kids’ either. I didn’t want them to trick me.”

“So, they found a way around… adolescents, not quite kids, not quite adults. It’s why we only see it in teens.”

“And Izzie,” Callie pointed out. “She has it too.”

“Tell us exactly what you did, Mrs. Stevens. It’s very important.” Meredith said.

“I read about the plane crash, and, and you buying the hospital… so much was happening here… and Izzie was just…”

“What Mom, what was I?” Izzie said.

“You were just there, in Tacoma, living your boring life, as a boring doctor, at a boring free clinic. I wanted more for you.”

“So what are you saying, this… this life isn’t mine?” Izzie was horrified. “You changed me?”

“No, they did… Omega,” Robbie admitted. “I took you there, for a reading… and they said it was your secret desire… you wanted to be part of what was happening here.”

“I don’t even know how to respond to that, mother,” Izzie said. “But whatever you did, we have to end it… we have to make things right.”

“I signed a contract, Cricket, it’s magical… I can’t break it.”

“What did it cost you?” Arizona asked.

“Access,” Robbie replied.

“To what?”

“This hospital,” She sighed. “After Cricket was in charge, I was to convince her to give them free reign.”

“That’s crazy,” Cristina said. “If they are powerful enough to change all of this, couldn’t they just come and go as they pleased?”

“They said something about ‘freely given’… but I didn’t really pay attention to that part.”

“Do you have the contract?” Meredith asked. “Can’t we just tear it up?”

“It’s here, I have it…” Robbie took a long scroll from her bag. “But it’s magic… it can’t be destroyed by mortal means. At least that’s what they said.”

Izzie took it from her and tried to tear it. “I can’t tear it.”

“How about scissors?” Arizona said, she grabbed some scissors from Izzie’s desk and tried in vain to cut the contract.

“It’s going to take magic to destroy it.” Bokhee said from the doorway, causing everyone to jump. “Apologies.”

“Did you find something?” Meredith asked.

“Yes, I just had some face time with my coven.” Bokhee explained.

“Oh, is that some sort of witchy communication thing?” Cristina asked.

“Um, no… it’s an app on my iPhone.” Bokhee replied.

As they talked, Callie walked over and grabbed the contract, she wasn’t paying attention to the others. She closed her eyes held the contract tight in her hands. Arizona glanced over and her brow furrowed in puzzlement.

Bokhee continued to talk in the background. “It’s going to take some powerful magic to break the spell. This Omega group, they’re end of days-ers, trying to bring about an apocalypse, trying to gain access to the hellmouth. Omega is literally the ‘end’ of the Greek alphabet, and is prominent in several apocalypse prophecies. The council is dispatching an elite group to their last known location, Anya has gone to help, but we are to deal with… ”

Callie moved the contract away from her body, she opened her eyes and locked them with Arizona’s. Arizona raised her eyebrows in question, but Callie just shrugged and said, “Librum incendere.” The contract burst into flames causing Callie to scream out in pain, as it burned her hands. The smoke was so bad, it set off the sprinkler system in Izzie’s office, drenching them all. A shimmering wave of light passed over the hospital and spread out across the city.

Arizona ran to Callie’s side, grabbing up her blistered hands. “Callie, what did you do?”

“I broke the spell.” She smiled through the pain.

“Remarkable.” Bokhee said.

***

The four surgeons sat at a table having lunch discussing everything that had transpired the previous day. Callie’s hands were bandaged, burned, but not severely, and all the coma patients were awake and on the road to a full recovery.

“I can’t believe we believed it,” Cristina said.

“It seemed so real,” Meredith agreed.

“Alternate realities are weird,” Callie said.

“You know what I’ll always remember?” Cristina asked.

"The swimsuit calendar's sticking in my mind." Callie replied, which caused Arizona to scowl at her. "Not in a good way.” She amended.

"I'll always remember the way she made me feel about me.” Cristina said. “Valued, respected, sort of tingly... Now I'm just empty."

"Poor Cristina. I guess she hurt you most of all," Meredith said.

"Ummm." Callie raised her bandaged hand.

"Except of course, after Callie."

Arizona spotted Izzie on the other side of the cafeteria, she waved her over to the table where the four women sat. Izzie joined them at the table, but suddenly became nervous as four sets of eyes were on her.

“I… I just wanted to apologize,” Izzie started.

“No need,” Arizona said. “We know it was your mother that did it, not you. Plus, being manipulated by magic is really, really easy. Trust me, I know.”

“Everyone is forgetting me, and I haven't seen Denny since the spell broke.”

“I’m sorry, Iz,” Meredith said. “You know, we own this hospital now… if you want a job.”

“No, no… my life is nice, it’s good… it’s uncomplicated.” Izzie said. “Boring actually, which after only a few days here… seems like heaven. And also, I’ve got a guy… a good guy. He’s sweet and kind… I think we can be something.”

“Well, keep in touch.” Meredith said. “Tacoma isn’t that far.”

“Right, I will,” Izzie said, then turned to Callie and Arizona, “I wouldn’t mind an invitation to that wedding you guys are having.”

“You guys are getting married again?” Cristian asked.

“Yeah, now that it’s legal in Washington… we plan to renew our vows, and make it officially official.” Callie replied.

“I’m still not sure how you know about that, we just started planning… getting our ducks in a row.” Arizona said.

“It must have been the spell,” Izzie said. “I figure I knew I lot of things I shouldn’t have known because of it.”

***

Across the room, Bokhee watched the four laugh and chat with Isobel Stevens. Callie put her arm around Arizona, who turned and snuggled into her wife’s protective embrace. They glowed with happiness, and a little bit of something else…

Bokhee watched the two women, not taking her eyes off of them. She picked up her phone and made a call. She finally had to look away from Callie and Arizona when a face appeared on the screen. Her smile faded as she said, “It’s me… we need to talk.”

End.


End file.
